


A Good Day For Laundry

by SwanFloatieKnight



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Getting Together, Inspired By Tumblr, Laundry, M/M, Random & Short, Showing Off, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25109113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanFloatieKnight/pseuds/SwanFloatieKnight
Summary: Arthur notices that his cute neighbour Merlin usually takes his laundry to the laundromat and decides that this might be a good way to catch his eye.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 123





	A Good Day For Laundry

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FervidAsAFlame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FervidAsAFlame/gifts).



> I was scrolling through your tumblr looking for another post, and then I saw [this](https://fervidasaflame.tumblr.com/post/622011012923654144/iamacolinmorganist-bradley-james-in-bello)  
> hope you like it xD

A/N: I posted this fic on Ao3, and on Ao3 alone. If you read this on any other website or platform, please consider that I did not consent to this.

* * *

Arthur had noticed the cute boy with the messy dark curly hair a few months ago. They must have been neighbours for years, but for some reason Arthur had only noticed him on that evening when he had run into him on the car park where the young man - Merlin, his name was Merlin he had learned that evening - had slipped on a patch of ice and Arthur, all knight in shiny armour, had helped him up. Merlin hadn't been hurt, but he had thanked Arthur with an adorable smile and a quiet laugh.

This laugh had been it. This laugh had captured Arthur, first his thoughts and, what he noticed later, also his heart. Arthur couldn't remember to have ever crushed that hard on someone, and so he spent his summer sprawled on his balcony watching the car park hoping that maybe he would catch a glimpse of Merlin going to uni or taking out the garbage. Arthur had never been so happy that his father was okay with him working from home. On the days he saw him, he was happy. His heart fluttered even more nervously in his chest and he felt his face blush and hoped that Merlin would not look up to his flat and notice him. Sometimes he did though, and then he usually waved at him, and that made Arthur blush even harder.

But he couldn't gather the courage to ask him out. He was too shy, too anxious, too nervous, whatever, he just couldn't find the courage to ring at Merlin's door and ask him if he would like to share a drink with him. As much as he would have loved the idea of them sitting on his balcony together watching the sunset, he was afraid that Merlin could reject him. That he found him weird and creepy. That he would no longer smile and wave up at him when he saw him on the balcony and Arthur could no longer wave back. He hoped for Merlin to make the first step, but he feared that he would have to raise his attention in a more obvious way than to just wave at him from the balcony. 

When after a few weeks of pining after Merlin and smiling and waving and not interacting on a more active level he found out that Merlin took his laundry to the laundromat down the street, a plan started to take shape in his head. He usually washed at his place, but for Merlin he could make an exception. Now he only had to find out if Merlin went there regularly, and then see that they met there.

Arthur was convinced that his plan was brilliant. After another three weeks he was positive that he had figured out that Merlin did his laundry every Thursday afternoon, and so on the next Thursday he packed a few t-shirts, two trousers and a lot of dirty underwear into a bag and walked down the street to the laundromat. He had hoped that Merlin might be there already when he arrived, but apparently he wasn't, so Arthur tried to figure out how washing here worked. He really hoped that it would be worth the 4.20£. At least the washing powder was included in the price.

He filled the washing machine, tried to figure out where to put the powder and where the money and was just about to start it when he remembered that Merlin was supposed to come in later and that all of this stress was about impressing him. So he decided that it was probably for the best if he put in the shirt he was wearing right now as well. Then, he started the machine and sat down on a bench to wait - for his laundry, and for Merlin.

He soon regretted putting his shirt into the laundry, as the day was cool and rainy and he didn't want to put on his hoodie as this would completely destroy the effect of taking off his shirt. But Merlin didn't come and the longer he waited the colder he got and he really started considering putting on his hoodie.

Then, the door opened and a young man with messy dark curls entered the laundromat and Arthur's heart skipped a beat. He was already smiling, but when he spotted Arthur shirtless on the bench his face lit up. "Arthur, is it? I didn't know you also come here to do your laundry!" 

"Eh…" Arthur's hands started sweating and he had to concentrate to form a coherent reply. "I normally don't. But..." What was an acceptable excuse for him to do the laundry here when he usually did it at home? "My machine broke. And yeah. That's... why I'm here now."

"Ohh, I hope it won't be too expensive to repair it." Merlin frowned. "You know, if you had just said something, we could have washed our things together. One machine. And shared the money."

Arthur was certain that by now his whole face was red. "That... uhm, thanks for the offer. I'll see. I mean, I'll take you up on that next time. If there will be a next time, that is."

"Yeah, sure, but if there is, just hit me up." Merlin smiled again.

"Again, thanks for the offer." Arthur managed a weak smile. Merlin turned back to his laundry and the thought that their talk could just die and they would never speak again made Arthur impulsively ask: "Would you like a coffee? As a return favour in advance or something?"

"Sure I'd love that. Wanna go somewhere? But probably not the best idea in your condition."

"Uh…" Merlin's amused glance reminded him that he still wore no shirt and it now had started raining outside. "No, probably not. But I could buy you one at the vending machine?" He felt awkward, but Merlin nodded with a laugh. While he followed Arthur over to the coffee machine he babbled on:

"Can't say no to that, can I? Especially when such a handsome guy like you without a shirt offers it." He winked. "First, you are my knight in shiny armour, and now you even buy me a coffee. I just hope you're not straight, because then I can ask you out in return."

Arthur, who had just taken a cup of coffee from the machine nearly dropped it again. "You... you - what?"

"Did I take it too far? I'm sorry. I just thought, you showing up here and you buying me a coffee..." Merlin eyed him suspiciously. "You... you're not offended... by me being gay, are you? Because if you are - " He suddenly looked so very young and vulnerable and Arthur would have loved to just pull him into a hug and comfort him. But he resisted the urge. It was probably highly inappropriate to randomly hug a guy that still was little more than a stranger to him. So he hurried to assure Merlin:

"No, no, not at all. Just... I really wouldn't mind it. You taking me out for a date. Not at all. Quite the opposite, to be honest." He looked into Merlin's blue eyes, saw his face relax once again and breathed a sigh of relief. "You know, that's why I came here, actually. You're cute, and I wanted to ask you if you would maybe want to have a drink with me, because I would really like to get to know you better."

Merlin's face hat split into a grin once more at Arthur's confession. Now he reached out and took the coffee cup form Arthur's slightly trembling hand. "I would love to."

"Great! Then what about tonight? Are you busy? Or I don't know, I could cook something for us. If you want to, of course. Or we could go somewhere, or just have a drink, or - "

"No, no, having dinner is fine. If you want to invite me over." Merlin laughed. "Good thing I'm doing my laundry now, so I can wear a fresh t-shirt tonight." He took a sip of his coffee.

"Awesome! What do you want to eat?"

"I don't know... surprise me. Just no fish, if you don't mind."

"All right, no fish... well, I'll try to think of something."

They looked at each other, awkward silence filling the room. Merlin continued drinking his coffee and Arthur considered getting one himself, after all he was still freezing. Only in that moment, his washing machine bleeped and he turned around to put on his hoodie and stuff the wet laundry back into his bag to take it home and hang it up there. No need to waste another 1.50£ on the dryer.

"Well, I guess I'll go now. Have to cook dinner, after all... see you at seven?"

"Sure, seven is fine. At least I know where you live." Merlin grinned.

"I do hope so. See you later!" 

Arthur took a deep breath as soon as the door of the laundromat had closed behind him. This whole talk had been awfully awkward, but in the end everything had worked out, and much smoother than he had expected. And now he had to come up with an impressive dinner for Merlin that wasn't too complicated so he wouldn't mess it up. He had to google "easy dinner recipes" as soon as he got home and hung up the laundry.

Sometimes, life was a big surprise. Especially when it turned out just the way he had hoped for.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed it, please leave me a comment and kudos! :)


End file.
